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Chromestart.info is a nasty page, indicative of a cyber menace. A browser hijacker menace, to be precise. Think of the website as the face of the threat. The hijacker uses it as a shield to lurk behind, and wreak havoc. Don’t underestimate the trouble the presence of the threat entails! It’s a danger to your system, as well as to your privacy. The tool meddles with your settings, and messes everything up. It also places your privacy at risk. The hijacker spies on you. It steals information from you, and then hands it over to the cyber criminals behind it. Don’t let it. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring the threat. Act against it as soon as you can. And, understand this. Chromestart.info is not in any way affiliated with the legitimate Chrome browser. The infection uses the false ties to add weight to its false legitimacy. Don’t buy it! Don’t fall the lies! The Chromestart.info website is NOT a legitimate search engine! It is NOT trustworthy! And, anything it shows you is unreliable. To trust its results, links, and pop-ups is a mistake. One, you’ll come to regret when you find your PC brimming with malware. Protect yourself! Protect your PC! Get rid of the hijacker ASAP! Locate and remove it the first chance you get. Your future self will thank you for it.
How did I get infected with?
Hijackers turn to trickery to invade your system. They use cunning and deceit to dupe you into allowing them in. Yes, you agree to install the malicious program. It cannot enter your system without your explicit okay. So? How do you suppose you gave it the green light? As was stated, it dupes you. But how? Well, more often than not, it turns to freeware. The tool hides behind freeware, and if you’re not careful enough to spot it, that’s it. You’re stuck with an infection. Always make sure to do our due diligence! Read the terms and conditions when installing freeware. Don’t just agree to everything, and hope for the best. Hope is overrated. Why turn to it when you can turn to vigilance instead? Choose caution over carelessness. One leads to infections, while the other helps you keep them out of your PC.
Why is this dangerous?
After the hijacker slithers into your system, prepare for problems. Your grievances begin with your browsing. It turns into a hellish experience. The hijacker makes sure of that. Each time you open your browser, you suffer countless interruptions. For one, the Chromestart.info site becomes a constant with your online activities. Each time you search the web, the page is among the results. When you open a new tab, the site shows up. You even find it in place of your preferred homepage and search engine. Oh, yes. Did you approve that switch? No. Did you want it? No. Were you informed prior to seeing it implemented? No. And, yet, there it is. The redirects aren’t even the only intrusion you face while browsing. You also get flooded with a full-on waterfall of pop-up ads. They take over your screen, alongside Chromestart.info. And, as you can imagine, these disruptions have repercussions. Pretty soon after their first appearance, your system starts to crash more often. Your computer’s performance also suffers. It slows down to a crawl. But none of the issues mentioned so far even compares to the worst problem, hijackers pose. The absolute worst part, of having a hijacker, is the security threat it places on you. As was already stated, the tool spies on you. It steals data from you. Data, which it then sends to the cyber criminals that published it. Unknown individuals with agendas getting a hold of your private details. Your personal and financial information exposed to strangers. Does that sound like something, you’re okay with? Or, would you rather, avoid that risk? Not to mention, all the others. Do what’s best for you and your system. Find the hijacker’s hiding place, and delete it when you do. The sooner you delete the infection, the better.
How to Remove Chromestart.info virus
The Chromestart.info infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.
If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Chromestart.info infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.
Please, keep in mind that SpyHunter’s scanner tool is free. To remove the Chromestart.info infection, you need to purchase its full version.
STEP 1: Track down Chromestart.info in the computer memory
STEP 2: Locate Chromestart.info startup location
STEP 3: Delete Chromestart.info traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer
STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus
STEP 1: Track down Chromestart.info in the computer memory
- Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
- Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.
- Write down the file location for later reference.
Step 2: Locate Chromestart.info startup location
Reveal Hidden Files
- Open any folder
- Click on “Organize” button
- Choose “Folder and Search Options”
- Select the “View” tab
- Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
- Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
- Click “Apply” and “OK” button
Clean Chromestart.info virus from the windows registry
- Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.
- A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”
- WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.
Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
- and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]
- Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.
Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection
Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host
If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:
STEP 3 : Clean Chromestart.info traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer
-
Open Google Chrome
- In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
- Remove the Chromestart.info by clicking on the little recycle bin
- Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind
-
Open Mozilla Firefox
- Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
- Disable the unwanted Extension
- Go to Help
- Then Troubleshoot information
- Click on Reset Firefox
-
Open Internet Explorer
- On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
- Click on Internet options
- go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
- Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset
- Restart Internet Explorer
Step 4: Undo the damage done by Chromestart.info
This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.
Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Chromestart.info, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.
To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.
- Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
- go to Network and Internet
- then Network and Sharing Center
- then Change Adapter Settings
- Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!
You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to
- Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.
- in the target field remove Chromestart.info argument and then apply the changes.
- Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
- Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.
How to Permanently Remove Chromestart.info Virus (automatic) Removal Guide
Please, have in mind that SpyHunter offers a free 7-day Trial version with full functionality. Credit card is required, no charge upfront.
Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your system and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.